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25-Jul-2018

How to line your rubbish bin now the single-use plastic bag ban is here

“What do I line my rubbish bins with now?” is the question on everyone’s lips since the ban on single-use plastic bags came into effect in Queensland.

For years, using free supermarket bags to line our household bins has been the norm, something many of us have never thought to question. In the kitchen,
bathroom, kids’ rooms or office, the seemingly endless supply of lightweight plastic bags could easily be used to line a plethora of different sized
bins.

Now, how to line a garbage bin at home has become a hot topic of conversation…and a source of confusion. Sure, you could use the fifteen cent heavy-duty
bags from the supermarket but that would defeat the purpose of trying to reduce single-use plastics. And, it’s not quite the same as getting them for
free like we used to!

Living Smart looks at four possible solutions to this dilemma. Not every option will suit every household so we suggest experimenting and finding what
works for you.

4 ways to line your home rubbish bins

1. Reuse plastic packaging

Loads of items we buy regularly come in plastic packaging that can easily be used as a bin liner such as packaging from toilet paper, nappies, breakfast
cereals and bread.

If you’re not reusing your soft plastic packaging, don’t forget to REDcycle at your local Coles or Woolworths supermarket.

Ideal for: bathroom bins and smaller bins throughout the home.

2. Go bag-less

Choose to go bag-less and place rubbish directly into a smaller household bin and then into your Sunshine Coast Council wheelie bin. Bins can easily be
rinsed with a garden hose after use, with water thrown onto the garden.

If choosing this option, take care not to overfill your wheelie bin so that the lid closes securely to prevent any waste from being blown around. This
may be an option for people who compost most of their food scraps, as the smelly waste goes into the compost. It may not be suitable for people in
units where body corporate rules require all rubbish to be placed into a plastic bag before putting into communal bins.

Ideal for: people who compost most of their food scraps.

3. Use newspaper

There are plenty of YouTube video tutorials on creating your own bin liners from newspaper (check out a couple of ideas below). Most require following
some simple steps to fold, while more elaborate versions require folding and gluing.

These liners are ideal for bathroom bins and smaller bins, although they can tear if when wet so if choosing newspaper, take care when transferring from
an indoor bin to your wheelie bin.

Here’s a great option for a small bathroom or dustbin liner that does not require gluing:

For a sturdier version, try experimenting with this one:

Ideal for: smaller kitchen bins or bathroom bins

4. Compostable or degradable bags

Purchasing commercially made bin liners may be part of the solution for your household, especially if you live in a unit blocks where body corporates regulations
require residents to user bin liners.

However, all bin liners are not equal when it comes to environmental credentials. According to Choice magazine, biodegradable plastics require specific
conditions to break down which means that “a biodegradable plastic will not simply break down wherever it ends up” so unless a bag is verified as biodegradable,
it may not actually break down as claimed on the packaging.

If you are seeking an eco-friendly bin liner option, do some research into the various brands so you know what you are getting. Looking for the Home Compostable Certification is one way to be certain your product has been
independently assessed as compostable and biodegradable.

Audit your rubbish

Correctly sorting your household rubbish should help to reduce the amount of waste that your household sends to landfill (and hence reduce your need for
bin liners). Consider conducting an audit of your rubbish and taking the following actions: